Various devices have heretofore been proposed concerning linkage mechanisms for pivotally supporting an object such as a headrest for a chair.
For example U.S. Pat. No. 7,093,313 relates to a linkage mechanism for an adjustable arm assembly where the linkage assembly is used to support an object such as a headrest for use in connection with an examination table. The linkage mechanism provides a structure to interlock or disengage two adjoining arm sections.
Furthermore U.S. Pat. No. 7,800,019 relates to a headrest for use with a seat back having a mount operatively attached to the seat back and a headrest pivotally mounted so that it may pivot or swivel forward about a swivel axis. In use, a spring places pressure or a load on the headrest and may be engaged or locked against folding forward because of the spring.
Moreover U.S. Pat. No. 6,893,096 teaches a mechanism for supporting and permitting selective adjustment of the position of a headrest relative to the back of a chair which includes an elongated housing, support brackets pivotally connected adjacent opposite ends of the body, and a plurality of interleaved elongate plate members extending longitudinally of the body and moveable relative thereto.
Other arrangements are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,937 which relates to an adjustable headrest for vehicle seats which include a first support mounted on a vehicle seat, a second support pivotally mounted with respect to the first support, the second support mounting a headrest and an adjustable control for adjusting the position of the second support into a plurality of locking angular positions with respect to the first support.
Also, U.S. Publication No. US 2004/0130196 teaches a device for the adjustment of the compression force of the spring in an articulation for a chair.
Other adjustable mechanisms are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,397,414, 5,177,823, and 4,592,526.
Moreover various devices have heretofore been used to provide adjustment mechanisms for hinge joints. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,922,869 relates to damper apparatus for dampening movement between a first and second element while U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,125 relates to a frictional torque hinge.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved adjustable headrest that is easy to construct and use.
It is an aspect of this invention to provide an adjustable linkage to support an object comprising a pair of arms rotatable about a first axis, one of said arms supporting said object and damper means disposed about said first axis between said arms for selective rotational movement and placement of said object relative said other arm.
It is a further aspect of this invention to provide an adjustable headrest for a chair comprising a first arm member having one end rotatably connected to said chair; a second arm member having one end rotatably connected to said headrest; said first arm member having another end rotatably connected to another end of said second arm member about an axis of rotation; a hinge damper co-axially disposed about said axis of rotation between said first and second arms for selective rotational movement and placement of said headrest to a desired position.
Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a method of selectively adjusting the position of a headrest relative to a chair comprising: placement of at least one hinge damper between said headrest and said chair for selective rotational movement of said headrest about said hinge damper for placement of said headrest to a desired position.